Motor Cowling

[shanker]

Curious as to how you guys fix, polish or whatever to get out scuffs and scratches out of your outboard cowlings.

Thanks,

Shanker

[Russ]

Mine is basically fiberglass or some such thing. So I buffed with compound. I had some deep scratches through the paint/gelcoat/whatever it is and I just used an artist brush and painted the scratches. Doesn't look great, but it looks a lot better than before.

[NiceAft]

Russ said:

Doesn't look great, but it looks a lot better than before

Without making a great effort to conceal deep scratches, that's all you can expect, all you should expect. Compound does wonders.

Ray

[Russ]

Russ said:

Doesn't look great, but it looks a lot better than before

Without making a great effort to conceal deep scratches, that's all you can expect, all you should expect. Compound does wonders.

Ray

My scratches (from hitting the helm seat when tilted too far up) went through the black paint to the white fiberglass of the cowling. More like gouges. So painting them was the best I could do. A new cowling is $$$$$!

I discovered this 3m product and it works wonders.

I've used it on pitted automotive chrome-like parts to restore shine. I had some spots on my hull that I thought were permanently oxidized beyond repair. I tried compound. The 3m product brought it back to new. What I did find was using a power buffer with lambswool head was the key. Buffing by hand didn't work well. I believe compounding works wonders, but it's a skill to do right.

[Chinook]

There was a guy with a 26X, used to show up at BWY rendezvous on occasion. He took his boat up to Alaska and back one summer and, somehow, along the way he managed to lose his engine cowling overboard. I've dropped lots of strange things overboard but never an outboard cowling. Not the best look for an engine.

[NiceAft]

Not too quiet either

[BOAT]

I use this:



It takes all the stains and dirt off and then I follow up with this:



This stuff makes the fiberglass motor cover very shiny if you cleaned it with the fiberglass cleaner.

These are the only two products i use on 'boat'. Been using these since the 60's I think. (not sure - but a long time I remember my dad making me use it to take care of boats and his friends airplanes when I was a kid).

I guess I am really out of date.

[NiceAft]

I’m sure it does all that you said BOAT; minor scratches, and not so minor ones improve with compounding, and then some good wax.

Ray

[Russ]

I use this:

Added to my Amazon cart